Once again, Pacific Wings was right in the action at Farnborough International 2010. Peter Cooper was there all week not only as Pacific Wings’ UK correspondent, but also as Farnborough Airport’s semi-official historian and photographer. Farnborough is unquestionably the cradle of British aviation. One hundred and two years ago, it was the site of the first powered flight in the UK. ...

By Rob Neil. The issue of biofuel as a viable source of aviation fuel for the future is no longer questionable. Biofuel is not only one answer; it is, realistically, the only answer. Unlike the automotive and other industries, which have other viable alternatives to hydrocarbon fuel, there is no option for aviation. There will never be “electric” airliners and it is ...

By Peter Cooper

It has been 26 years since its last operational roar, but the Vulcan bomber once again ruled the sky over Lincolnshire at the recent RAF Waddington International Air Show.

Just south of the city of Lincoln, ensconced deep inside the renowned World War II Lincolnshire “Bomber County”, lies the important Royal Air Force base of Waddington. ...

By Donald Harward

The two young “warrants” (warrant officers) caught my eye as they walked past my aircraft on their way towards their company area. They looked tired—very tired—and I noticed the green canvas boxes, which held their ANVIS night vision goggles, draped over their shoulders. Their faces were streaked with dirt or dust, and trails of tears led ...

By Rob Neil

Exercise Wise Owl, held at Napier from 14–23 June, was the 94th such exercise since the RNZAF’s first Wise Owl in 1969. Originally known as “Red Owl”, the current Wise Owl is primarily designed to teach RNZAF pilot trainees the art of formation flying. In a “normal” year, there are typically two (occasionally three) Wise Owl ...

By Donald Harward

We were cruising along at 135 indicated. I had “Band on the Run” (the old Paul McCartney/Wings song) stuck in my head and was singing it loudly enough to break through into the intercom occasionally. The big bird—our cargo ship—was close behind. I could feel the steady thump, thump, thump of those big blades beating the ...

By Allan Udy

It was a case of “third time lucky” for The Vintage Aviator Ltd (TVAL) on Saturday 24th April when Masterton put on great weather for the final flying display of the season—finally allowing the company to debut three World War One aircraft. The assembled crowd of just under 2,000 people witnessed the inaugural public flights of ...

By Donald Harward

Have you ever played the game “There I was…”? It is a well-known drinking game that is (or was) commonly played in the backrooms of officers’ clubs worldwide. It involves a story—or rather, a fantastic collection of lies—spun together by a host of pilots who are heavily under the influence of alcohol. It starts something like ...

By Rob Neil.

I had been planning to visit Tim and Anna Hutchinson and their Alpine Helicopters’ Methven operation for several months. When I arrived at Double Hill Station on a dismal rainy afternoon for our long-planned meeting, Tim and Anna weren’t there. This impressed me greatly. No…really! Let me explain. Having all ...

By Donald Harward

Preflight is invariably a noisy time—even though preflights usually take place in the very early morning. The world around me is already well into the day’s activities by the time I start to peer through my still sleepy eyes at the myriad of parts that comprise my flying machine.

However, one morning, amid all the ...